


You Could Kill Me and You Should

by Frechisia



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Titans (Comics)
Genre: Blood, Happy halloween, In a way, Speed-force vampire, Vampire!Wally, Wally and Roy flirt for like two seconds, blood-sucking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 18:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12259920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frechisia/pseuds/Frechisia
Summary: Wally's fought a lot of monsters, but the only ones he's truly been afraid of is himself and what made him that way.





	You Could Kill Me and You Should

**Author's Note:**

> It's October. This is an obligation.

Wally isn’t someone who likes to keep secrets. Yes, sometimes it might be necessary, but usually it comes back to bite him in the ass at the end of the day. Even if it’s just telling one person, it’s better than bottling it up himself. 

Still, there was one thing he hasn’t told anyone. Not Dick, not Uncle Barry, not even Aunt Iris. That fateful day when he was just a kid in Barry’s lab he saw something. In that split second when the lightning came down, there was something there other than the speed force, or perhaps in the speed force. It wasn’t human or alien or anything in between, but he knew it was dangerous.

At least he thought it was. As he got older, he convinced himself it was nothing more than a mirage, black spots clouding his vision as he was struck by lightning. It made absolute sense. And if he sees it at night in his dreams, a mass of darkness with teeth like a lightning bolt, then he chalks it up to the stress of the job. Nothing else. 

But then he was lost in the speed force and couldn’t deny its existence any longer. It was there in the shadows from memory to memory. For years he was caught in a struggle of running away from it and running towards it. Even when he couldn’t remember his own name he could remember its face. The constantly shifting mass of electricity that had no form. It didn’t have eyes or a nose or prints. Some days it didn’t even have a body, but it always had its mouth. A row of sharp, blue teeth that somehow was the very same shape as the symbol on his chest. 

It was those very same teeth that bit into him, tried to hold him back once he got a chance to leave. It shocked his entire body, felt like he was getting struck by lightning again but worse. Needless to say, once he was out of the speed force, his childhood nightmares returned full force. 

He pushed it down and away. Wally had a lot more on his plate to deal with than some creep a dimension away. And if the lightning trailing behind him as he ran went from yellow to the electric blue that painted its teeth, well he was sure there were other logical reasons for it.

* * *

Wally runs off as soon as the fight was over. Like everyone they had, someone ends up bruised, another cut and occasionally even burned. Yet every time he sees a splatter of red on the floor it makes his heart race. He wants something and he’s too scared to wonder what it is.

The team’s noticed his disappearances, but haven’t said anything about it. Lilith and Dick are always giving him a look though, and he just wants to go up to them and scream ‘what do you know?’ in their faces. But that’s not like him. He doesn’t lash out without a good reason.

“You’d think you’d actually have somewhere to be with how quick you leave. New girl already?” Roy catches him in the kitchen with a boatload of food splayed out on the table. None of it really looks that appetizing, but he was starving. Anything he can get his hands on is great at this point. 

“Sorry. Don’t move as quick as you and Nightwing when it comes to dating.” He offers a smirk after swallowing an apple. It tastes bitter. “There _are_ some things that I like to take slow.”

“Should I be intrigued or worried?”

“A bit of both.” Roy’s mouth twitches at the response. Wally knows that he does this with a couple of people — more than that probably, considering what he’s heard from Nightwing — but it’s always fun to do. Everyone knows that it’s only going to _be_ fun though because there’s only one person who has Harper’s heart.

Still, doesn’t stop them from bantering like Oliver and Dinah after a fight. 

"I don't suppose I could try putting a bit of speed in your step." He takes a swig from his beer, purposely raising his head to show it going down his throat. It does its job. Wally's captivated by the movement, the bob as he swallows. He finds himself wanting to bite Roy's neck, to leave bruises. He wants to sink his teeth in until the skin breaks —

Wally leaves the kitchen with as much food as he can hold. He thanks whoever's out there that Roy doesn't follow.

* * *

Wally honestly thinks that he was being subtle. He put in more effort to act normal, to think normal. Maybe if he faked it enough, it would come true.

Turns out faking it just causes his best friend to go snooping where snooping isn't needed. Wally wants to run. Or punch Dick. Or maybe both. Both sound good. 

"Why are we here?" 'Here' being Dick's apartment where he expected just a night with a beer or two, and 'we' being him, Dick, and surprise guest, Barry. While he's glad to get some time with his favorite uncle, Barry was the last person he wants there. Well, second-to-last. Having Iris there would make it just a bit worse.

"I'm worried," Dick says. "You've been acting weird lately." 

"I'm fine. This whole meet-up was unnecessary. Can we just—"

"Wally, just hear him out." Barry's tone calms him down immediately, and suddenly Wally understands why he's here. He sits down beside Barry reluctantly. 

"You've been leaving the scene before we even talk about the fight. You refuse to get patched up or even help patch up the others. We barely even see you anymore. All you do is hide out in your room until you're hungry or we have a job to do."

"Is a guy not entitled to his privacy?"

"Is keeping it private supposed to make it better?" 

"Aren't you supposed to be the expert on that?" Wally bites out. He regrets saying it immediately. He knows that it's a hard job and that Dick sometimes has to hide things from them. He also knows that his best friend hates lying despite how often it happens. That's why they're talking in clothes instead of costumes. It's between Dick Grayson and Wally West. With the added support of Barry Allen.

"Wally, we're here to help. Whatever's going on, you can tell us." Barry puts a hand on his shoulder. Wally fights the urge to shove it off, to turn it over to see if he's tainted it somehow.

Just like that monster tainted him.

Dick keeps his distance, standing a few feet away. He fidgets with a batarang. "You know we'll be there with you through anything, right?"

They stare at each other for a long moment until Wally gives. Dread crawls up his throat as he realizes the situation was out of his hands. Dick wouldn't put all of this together just to find out what was wrong with a friend. "You already know, don't you?"

Dick stops twirling the weapon in his hand. He nods slowly, which means he's trying to figure out how to say something.

"You've been eating a lot more, but going out a lot less. You leave every chance you get when blood is involved. And when you can't leave—" He breaks off and tries to appear calm. It doesn't work. "Wally, I see the way you look. It's as if you're starving for it."

Barry's hand tightens on his shoulder. "Dick, you can't be serious."

Dick doesn't say anything. Instead, he goes back to spinning the batarang in his hand on his finger. It spins and spins, making a dent in his skin until it pierces Dick's finger. He doesn't flinch, just looks at Wally and makes the cut deeper so that blood drips out. 

Wally lunges at him before he even realizes what he's done. He pins Dick to the floor, the pain in his stomach overwriting the thought of ' _Ishouldn'tIshouldn'tIshouldn't_. It's been months since he's come back from the speed force, and he's hungry and tired and here his best friend is, _offering_. 

With just enough coherence to not kill on the spot, he goes for Dick's shoulder. A pale wrist is shoved in the way but he doesn't question the move, just bites into it instead. 

It's an odd feeling, tearing into a person's skin with teeth. It's not as resistant as he expected it to be, and blood comes rushing up to the surface as soon as the skin breaks. He swallows it down, and it's disgusting how good it makes him feel. Like drinking water after thirsting for weeks. Like eating after starving for months. 

He doesn't waste anything. There's no mess, any drop of blood that escapes he quickly cleans up. There's a tingling feeling, like static before the hand goes limp. 

That snaps Wally out of it. In a second he's on the opposite side of the room, panting for air and caught between licking his lips or throwing up. Dick's getting off the floor and reaching for the first aid kit under the table. Barry — oh God, _Barry_ — is holding his arm. He winces but still gives Wally a smile as if he didn't just try to drain him dead.

"It's okay, kid."

No, it isn't okay. Wally's a freak, a monster. He can't save people like this. He can't be a hero that feeds on those he protects. He won't even be able to look Iris in the face.

_Iris._ She'll hate him. If there's anyone she loves in this world, it's Barry. Maybe she'll forgive him for this, but she isn't the type to forget. 

Wally stops that train of thought once Dick kneels in front of him and hands him a towel. “How long?”

Wally takes it and starts to wipe off his hands and face. He tries not to notice it becoming redder the more he cleans. “Since I came back from the speed force. There was something in there, something that changed me.” His hands are shaking, but it’s not from fear. There’s a thrumming going through his body, lighting up his veins and clearing his head. He feels better than he has in years, and he doesn’t want this feeling to go away.

“What was it?” Dick asks. Wally tells them everything, from the day he became Kid Flash to finally breaking out of the speed force. Just talking about the monster has him agitated. It can’t find him here. It can’t, but the thought is still there in the back of his mind. A terrifying what if. 

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Wally can’t bring himself to look at Barry. Even though, he can still hear the hurt in his voice. “I’ve been with you since before Kid Flash. I could’ve done something.”

“I thought it was some childish nightmare. But never mind that, I do need your help. Both of you.” He raises his head and looks at two of the people closest to him. “I want the truth. Am I still human?”

Both try to respond, but after sharing a look Barry lets Dick answer. Dick walks over to Wally wraps his arms around him.

He can smell the blood drying on the bandage around Dick’s hand. He can feel it pulsing just under Dick’s skin, and Wally’s wondering just how long he can last before he attacks him again (before he can finally drink again). 

He pushes out a stuttered ‘don’t’. Dick ignores him. “If you’re worried about it, I think you know your answer. Only humans would be concerned with their humanity.” 

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“That’s the only answer that matters.” 

The three of them talk it over a bit more. Dick tries to offer his own blood to keep Wally’s cravings at bay, but if he starts Wally doesn’t think he can stop. Barry vows to find out more about this ‘Speed Force Monster’, and hopefully a way to cure Wally. Eventually, Barry gets called away and goes to leave. Before he does, he turns back around. There’s a weird glint in his eyes Wally doesn’t recognize. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll find the monster that turned you.”

Barry gives him a quick smile full of jagged, sharp teeth. Before Wally could even think, he’s gone in a flash of blue lightning.

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't come out exactly how I wanted, but I got a whole month of Halloween to practice. Thanks for reading!


End file.
